What is a VPN? Do you really need that in 2020?Everything you need to know

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In today’s world, it is close to impossible to live without internet for anyone. From delivering information to answering questions, from providing entertainment to connecting you with people, internet gives you everything on demand. In spite of internet being a life saver for all of us, it has certain in-built flaws. These vulnerabilities are caused by the government, hackers and snoopers who can take full advantage of the information you access. However, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) becomes relevant here, as it makes the internet safe, secure and private.

What Is A Virtual Private Network (VPN) and How Does It Change Things?

In simple terms, in a Virtual Private Network (VPN), the user’s IP address is replaced with another IP address provided by the VPN service provider. Subscribers of a particular VPN service can also get a specific IP address in a city from which the VPN service provider operates. A VPN simply adds security and privacy to all kinds of networks – be it private or public. 

Why Do You Need A VPN?

VPN uses a special network of servers across the globe to keep your online activity private at a virtual level. It:

  • Hides your IP address
  • Changes your IP address
  • Masks your location
  • Encrypts the data transfers
  • Provides access to blocked websites

A VPN encrypts the data when it leaves your computer and reroutes it through its server. This ensures that your Internet Service Provider does not see what you are accessing. Why is it so important? 

  • When using a public Wi-Fi network: Even a password-protected Wi-Fi network has a lot of security threats and can be easily hacked. A VPN connection masks your IP address, hence significantly reducing the chances of your security being compromised.
  • When traveling: There are a lot of internet restrictions in countries like China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, etc., A VPN in such places can help you access regular features like VoIP and social media.
  • When the government stifles the internet: During political crises, certain governments limit the usage of the internet. VPN becomes the go-to option in such cases by connecting you with the outside world.

Free VPN’s

When looking for VPNs, you can come across a lot of free VPN service providers. So how does a free VPN work? When you choose a VPN provider, your ISP may not be able to see what kind of data you access, but your VPN provider can definitely see. They get access to your online activity and data though not with the intention of spying you. But there is a high possibility that they may sell this information. This is what they get for providing you the VPN service. You need to understand which VPN service provider to choose and importantly do some due diligence by reading the fine print in their privacy policy. Usually, the free version is just a starter version to entice the user to upgrade to premium services.

Hola – Free VPN

Hola VPN is one of the most popular free VPN providers on the market. Unlike competitors that route traffic through datacenter IPs, Hola VPN combines standard VPN architecture with peer-to-peer technology. The novel design routes traffic through fellow users’ idle device IPs to bypass censorship and unblock 99.9% of restricted domains on the internet. Hola VPN’s vast network of residential IPs is virtually unblockable. Through split-tunneling, Hola VPN removes bottle necks by serving cached content via its peer-to-peer network to guarantee top speeds. The approach also has very little impact on your data transfer rates. There are significant advantages to this system: 

  • No fixed servers or routes
  • Difficult to detect and block
  • Reduces bandwidth costs
  • Improves speeds 
  • Enables unrestricted access
  • 100% free 

Hola VPN seamlessly works across all of your devices, including Windows (8 and later), MacOS (10.11 and later), Linux, Chrome OS, iOS (8 and later), Android (5 and later), routers, game consoles, and smart TVs. 100% free and easy to configure, the software is also compatible with all major browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Microsoft Edge. Users can toggle between countries to easily change locations. 

Hola VPN’s community-powered network means users worldwide pool resources to create a more open, accessible internet. Traffic is routed through device IPs only when they are not in use meaning it has zero impact on users’ browsing speed or experience. Hola VPN is one of the only VPNs that is really free AND 100% free of ads. Subscribers gain unrestricted access to the internet free of charge. 

Advanced users seeking added privacy and security can upgrade to HOLA PLUS. There are three premium plans starting from US$2.99 for 3 years. All plans come with a 30-day money back guarantee. Users can use existing Google or Facebook accounts to sign up.

Hola.org has an extensive FAQ section and additional customer support is promptly offered via email or by completing an online contact form. 

Final Verdict

Hola VPN has over 200 million users worldwide. The fast and exceptionally user-friendly VPN service is unrivalled as a free VPN service offering unlimited access.  It is undoubtedly the only choice to unlock foreign websites. You will be hard pressed to find a website that Hola VPN cannot unlock. Hola VPN’s impressive peer-to-peer technology combined with its flexibility to use on any platform and an ad-free experience make it simply irresistible. 

Have you tried Hola VPN? Let us know how Hola VPN worked for you in the comments section below.